Fields lying dry and parched; villages silent and deserted; the able-bodied having left in search of work,
leaving behind the old, the infirm, women, and children to fend for themselves with little or no ray of hope.
Agriculture was entirely at the mercy of the monsoon and in regions with less than 12 inches of annual rainfall
(mostly between July and September), that meant undependable incomes and years of hardship.
Most wells, bore wells, hand pumps dry; Women fetching water from long distances in pitchers for home consumption.
Complete environmental degradation.
We, living in cities, are far removed from the ground reality of rural India. They are not living, but subsisting
in the medieval times with no infrastructure and not even the basic amenities.
Willingness of Villagers to help themselves:
The villagers have been existing in abject poverty for generations. All they need is a helping hand to pull them out of their miserable condition.
A huge plus is that they are willing to help themselves and donate up to 30% of the cost of construction.
Empowerment of Villagers:
The check dams therefore are not only a means to the revive the ecology and symbol economy of the villagers, the structures make them aware of their own strengths.
They feel they have made the check dams and are empowered to take care of their structures and maintain them. They do not wait for an outside agency to come and bail them out. when their check dams require a 2% amount of their produce for proper up keep and repair. They are so motivated that they give monetary help to people of other villages to make new check dams.
Thus they are not beggars but become kings of their own area pulling their brethren as well as themselves out of the rut of poverty.
Time & Cost of Construction:
The time required is about 1½ months for repairs and 2 to 3 months for new construction. Hence, if funds are provided,
the jobs will be completed well before this monsoon, when God willing, our structures will be filled with water.
On average a large structure would cost around Rs.7 to 8 lakhs of sponsor’s funds and an additional 30% of the villagers’ contribution.
Sometimes structures that are strategically placed to impact 5 to 7 and more villages, the costs can be as high as Rs. 25 lakhs.
First our Karyakartas connect with the local people and spread an awareness among the populace regarding the benefits of water harvesting. Our field workers are in close touch with the populace and they get involved in all their hardships. They work hand to hand with the local people and help them solve all their problems Thus, having gained their confidence, the villagers guide us through the site selection process and are involved in the decision making at every step.
Experts with experience of at least 2000 water harvesting structures are employed to take care of the design of the structures in consultation with the villagers. Indeed, nobody can understand the topography and the nature of water better than the locals with their age-old wisdom of water harvesting.
A meeting is held with the entire village participating in it. We tell them that we are ready to help them if they agree to help themselves. They have to contribute all the stone, water and 1/3rd in the digging and compacting of the soil. The dam consists of part masonry and part earthen bunding. The Trust provides JCB, cement, mason, all the labour expenses for the masonry work and 2/3rd labour for the earthen work.
We also lay the condition that we will only come forward if they agree to stop child marriage, dowry system, mrityu bhoj, alcohol, and tobacco.
Once these issues are sorted out, there is no delay from our side. We tell them to immediately start collecting and bringing all the stone required for the masonry to site. As soon as the villagers comply with this, we immediately arrange for the JCB to come to site and start the foundation digging work.
Site selection is one of the prime criteria in this work. The following points are taken into consideration.
It should be a somewhat hilly terrain where one can expect run off during the rains. preferably the hill range should act as catchments area for the check dam so that just a couple of hours of good rainfall would bring millions of liters of water to the check dam site and be able to fill the structure.
There should be enough spread of land which would be able to hold the accumulated water. the masonry work should be minimal to control expenses as well as the possibilities of cracks.
It should be in the heart of farmland or in the upper reaches from where there would be appreciable impact in the villages downhill. The number of people benefiting by the project should be reasonably large. The submerged area should not have too many trees which are likely to be lost because of stagnant water.
The villagers should be ready to contribute at least 1/3rd of the total expense towards the structure. This is very important because this is what gives them a sense of ownership and makes the work sustainable because they then are ready to maintain it.
A check dam is a strategically built small permanent structure, which acts as an obstacle for rainwater
gushing down the hillside thereby creating a reservoir. The structures consist of a relatively small masonry
headwall which acts as a spill weir to remove excess water from the dam and extensive earthen embankments
flanking the headwall on both sides enabling them to hold huge quantities of water. The overflow of rainwater
becomes a streamlet emerging from an erstwhile barren village which continues to flow for several months finally
pouring its bounty in the revenue map rivers of the vicinity.
Aakar Charitable Trust’s check dams are designed to:
Where building check dams is not possible due to geographical constraints, such as the absence of a suitable water channel
or rocky terrain, Aakar Charitable Trust constructs pondsinstead. These ponds serve as large rainwater harvesting structures,
storing water for agriculture, livestock, and household use, and providing the same long-term benefits of water security.
Each dam holds millions of litres of water — some as high as 12 crore litres — ensuring a reliable local water source.
Check dams naturally recharge nearby wells and handpumps, providing sustainable access to clean water.
With water available throughout the year, farmers can grow multiple crops annually, improving food security and income.
Each dam holds millions of litres of water — some as high as 12 crore litres — ensuring a reliable local water source.
